miercuri, 11 martie 2015

Hello
darlings and welcome to a new blog post long requested on the Facebook Page and
via the multitude of messages we receive there.

Boleros are
in my humble opinion the most versatile type of cardigan for summer. They have
a special touch of romance and a girly girl air that remind us of the times
when ladies walked the streets with their hair flowing in the wind looking all
pretty for the gentlemen to see and admire.

I am not a
particular fan of shrugs which tend to make a regular figure look fuller than
it already is, but the regular bolero is my second favorite piece of crochet
clothing.

So this being said
let’s see how can you crochet a timeless looking bolero that would fit any type
of attire.

I confess
this was my very first crochet summer bolero. I made it out of regular cotton (medium-
not mercerized) using a 3 mm hook.

I like this
particular model because of 3 important reasons:

The stitches are easy to make , the model is an easy
one .

It is ideal for spring but also sunny summer days

It is easy to fit any figure.

The
bolero is worked : the back, two front halves, lacy trim

I
found that it is easier to work the lacy trim around the joined finished piece
than individually .

Main
pattern:

1.Chain
the required length ( multiple of 5+3)

2.Ch3,sk3,1dc
ch3 1dc (in the same stitch- V stitch),*ch2 sk5, 1dc ch3 1dc (in the same stitch)*…repeat
till the end of the row...you will end with 1dc

3.Ch1,
3dc ch2 3dc ( in the 3ch space from the V stitch below),1sc (in the ch2 space
between the V stitches)…repeat until the end of the row…you will finish with
1sc in the last stitch.

Repeat
2 and 3 until reaching the underarm
decrease.

Underarm decrease and front side opening.

The chart is from another model with the same stitches but a bit different ch spaces.

Decrease:

In
the row 3 (fan stitch row), slip st to the ch2 space from the fan, ch 5 and
start working the V stitch row from the second fan stitch, At the end of the
row you will end with 1 trc in the 2ch space of the last fan stitch.

Work
the last of the section up starting and ending with only a half of the fan
stitch until reaching the shoulder.

In
the last row work only 5 fan stitches on each side , sl st for the middle
section.

Same
principle applies for the front and sleeves as shown in the chart.

VERY
IMPORTANT:

Count
the rows .

The
number of rows worked after the first decrease for the back section must be
equal to the number of rows worked for the sides.

Sleeves:

After
you start the decrease you will have to decrease gradually in every row ( same
number of rows) until you are left with only two fan stitches in the last row.

Lacy
section:

1.Ch3,
1dc in each ch.

2.Ch3,1dc
ch2 sk 2, repeat till the end of the row

Repeat
1 and 2 once

3.Ch3
sk3,*3dc in the same stitch,ch3 sk3,1sc*…repeat** till the end of the row.

4.Ch
3, 1sc (in the first 3ch space)ch3,*3dc (on top of the 3dc below),ch3,1sc(in the
3ch space), ch6*…repeat** till the end of the row.

Repeat
3 and 4 once

5.Ch3,2ch,
1sc in the 6ch space, *6dc on top of the 3dc,1sc in the 6ch space*…repeat **
till the end of the row.

Repeat
the sequence for each of the sleeves.

And…you
are pretty much…done.

This
is one of the simplest boleros out there with a very sophisticated finish the
unknowing eye would consider a pro work.

I hope you will like this post and you will share it far and wide so as many crochet beginners will have the chance to try their hands on making this bolero for summer 2015.

duminică, 1 martie 2015

When you start working on a big project such as a crocheted
maxi skirt the perspective may seem a little …gloomy. For those having the
skill, the speed and the endurance to take on the challenge the project is not
a complicated one but for beginners the things are not exactly easy.

So basically putting into a written pattern a series of crochet
charts is quite a handful but upon request I did my best to accommodate the
most voted choice from our Facebook page : a maxi skirt free pattern.

Yarn choices, hook size and tips.

This particular maxi dress is the creation of a user from
club osinka .ru. She pretty much combined the patterns from different charts
and created a spectacular skirt. Unfortunately I don’t know her name so I can’t
offer her the well deserved credits.

Recommended yarn is cotton, mercerized and worsted or
microfiber silk effect. Both yarns are slippery enough to make the crochet slide
easier not to mention that they have the necessary structure for the skirt to
be “”heavy “ enough. Use a 2mm or 2,5mm hook.

The skirt is worked in round from bottom up from the thigh section and reversed ( downwards from the thigh line to the ankle).

You have above the written pattern
for the yellowed part of the chart.

Work as many of these sections as
you need to obtain the required length for your skirt.

You can either finish with 1sc in
every ch from the last row or do a picot finish, or simply let it the way it
is.

I must admit writing this pattern
was a bit of a handful but I am happy I succeeded to work it out. I know how
expensive a written pattern can be and how hard it is to come by free information
regarding the art of crochet.

I really hope you like this post
and spread the word about this amazing maxi skirt so talented ladies would dare
to create one of their own for the upcoming , wonderful and long expected ( by
me) summer. So share , pin, and share some more to put this free pattern out
there.

Please join us on Facebook,Pinterest and Google+ to find out about the new models we find the new and
interesting tricks we try, the new trends and fashion finds from the world of
crochet.

Ladies keep in mind the “open knits”
is a such fashion trend this summer and resort collections of the biggest designers are filled with crocheted items.

Have fun making a fashionable item by yourself and have an
amazing spring.